The Old Nest plot
Dr. and Mrs. Anthon live in a small town and raise a large family. Arthur, the eldest, dies in a train accident. Tom grows up to be a successful lawyer. Kate gets married and lives in New York. Frank becomes a gifted artist in Paris. Jim is sent away from home by his father for stealing. Emily, the youngest, goes to New York to visit Kate and gets married. With ties to their childhood home severed, the children slowly forget about their parents, until Tom suddenly arrives with his siblings to announce that he has been appointed Attorney General of the United States.